Evolution

It has been over 100 years since English naturalistCharles Darwin first told the world hisrevolutionary concept about how livings thingsdevelop. Evolution through natural selection andadaptation was the basis of his argument as itremains to this day a debated subject by many.

Across this nation, a “return” to “traditional” valueshas also brought the return of age old debatedtopics. One issue that truly separates Americans isthe issue of creation versus evolution. Since the19th century, this divisive topic has been debatedin school boards and state capitols acrossAmerica. In many instances religiousfundamentalists won the day by having banned theinstruction or even the mention of “ungodly”evolutionary thinking in schools. With todayssocial and political climate, this question is backwith greater force than ever. This is why thissubject is more important now than ever. In JayGoulds book The Pandas Thumb, an overviewof and an argument for Charles Darwinsevolutionary thinking is conducted with flowingthoughts and ideas. This essay titled “NaturalSelection and the Human Brain: Darwin vs.

Wallace” takes a look directly at two hard foughtbattles between evolutionists and creationists.

Using sexual selection and the origins of humanintellect as his proponents, Gould argues hisopinion in the favor of evolutionary thought. In thisessay titled “Natural Selection and The HumanBrain: Darwin vs. Wallace,” Gould tells about thecontest between Darwin and another prominentscientist named Alfred Wallace over twoimportant subjects. These topics, one being sexualselection and the other about the origins of thehuman brain and intellect were debated by menwho generally held the same views on evolution.

However on these two subjects, Wallace chose todiffer as he described it as his “special heresy”(53). The first of these two areas of debatebetween the two men was the question of “sexualselection.” Darwin theorized that there laid twotypes of sexual selection. First a competitionbetween males for access to females and secondthe choice “exercised by females themselves” (51).

In this, Darwin attributed racial differences amongmodern human beings to sexual selection “basedupon different criteria of beauty that arose amongvarious peoples” (51). Wallace, however,disputed the suggestion of female choice. Hebelieved that animals were highly evolved andbeautiful works of art, not allowing the suggestionof male competition to enter his mind. The debateof sexual selection was but a mere precursor to amuch more famous and important question . . . thequestion of the origins of the human mind. Gouldsdiscussion of the origins of the human mind is onethat he in which he vocalizes his own opinions andfeelings in a much more critical manner. Gouldbegins the topic of human origins by brieflycriticizing Wallace for his different views on thissubject. Wallace believed that human intellect andmorality were unique and could not be the productof natural selection. Wallace suggested that “somehigher power” (53) must have “intervened toconstruct this latest and greatest of organicinnovations.” Gould sharply chastises Wallace for“simple cowardice, for inability to transcend theconstraints of culture and traditional views ofhuman uniqueness, and for inconsistency inadvocating natural selection so strongly” (53). Theargument that human intelligence was divine alongwith the belief that all people of all races have thesame capacity of intellect, but are limited only bytheir culture was at the heart of Wallacesopinions. Gould rebuts Wallace by going intoDarwins “subtler view.” Gould writes that ourbrains may have “originated for some set ofnecessary skills . . . but these skills do not exhaustthe limits of what such a complex machine can do”(57). Gould ends by describing Wallaces thinkingas having direct ties with creationist thought. Aschool of thought that Gould obviously portrays aswrong throughout his essay. Throughout ThePandas Thumb, Gould tells us about the debatebetween Darwin and Wallace over sexualselection and the origins of human intellect.

Throughout his essay Gould gives vivid accountsof the different views expressed by the two men ashe analyzes the validity of each. He makes a clearopinion and backs up his claim. In this, Gouldsufficiently argues his points that he makes. As awriter, Gould tells his opinion through clear andprecise words in a style that anyone could graspimmediately. To make his point unmistakable,Gould gives direct and continuous analysis,commentary, and criticism as he digs deeper intohis subjects. Goulds style of writing is not onlyappropriate, but is favorable for this type ofdiscussion and can be applauded. Rather thansubmitting to a scientists ever present tendency toover explain and over analyze while usingincomprehensible vocabulary, Gould gets the jobdone with brief yet fulfilling summaries andstatements. In the end, however, Gould must bejudged by his judgement. His argument is theultimate standard bearer and in this there are fewweaknesses. His excellent use of clear languageand style as he analyzes a particular subject iscommendable. Never does Gould stray intoincomprehensible scientific hog wash. Never doesGould let himself begin to attack mercilesslywithout a shred of evidence. But even withGoulds excellent story telling in his essay, thereremains subtler, yet still present weaknesses in hisargument. While Gould appropriately attacksWallace for his creationist stance on humanintellect, he in turn fails through his lack ofcreationist related discussions. While he doesargue and does it well, he leaves something to bedesired in his attack on creationist thought. Inaddition, Gould doesnt seem to write enoughabout Darwins own feelings about the humanintellect, though he states Darwins underlyingopinion, it would had been beneficial for Gould tohave done more in this area. Jay Goulds essay“Natural selection and the human brain” is one thatstrikes the readers mind with interest and curiosity.

Written in a style and format that is “readerfriendly” while sufficiently and consistently arguinga clear and precise point are the attributes thatmake Goulds essay such a delight to read. Moreimportant, however, is the social implications ofthis essay. While school boards across the nationdebate the subject of whether evolution should betaught in the schools, Goulds work stands outwith its overriding validity andstraightforwardness. It is an example of reasonableargument as evolutions opponents use nothing butrhetoric and fear to displace scientific analysis.

Through Goulds work, a greater sense ofunderstanding about how creatures evolved canbe gained through these two excellent examples.